
^ 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 669 

Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry 
JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



November 18, 1918 



THE MANUFACTURE OF 

NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE 

IN THE FACTORY 



By 



K. J. MATHESON and F. R. CAMMACK 
Of the Dairy Division 



CONTENTS 



Important Factors in Successful Produc- 
tion 1 

I'he Manufacturing Process 2 

Methods of Packing 11 

Yield of Cheese per Hundred Pounds of 

Milk 12 



Experimental Work on the Manufactur- 
ing Process • 12 

Experimental Work on Keeping Qualities 
of the Cheese 21 

Summary 27 





WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1913 



D« Of B* 

NOV 30 Itii 



^ '-a'7/ 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 




JTU^^W"*. 



1 BULLETIN No. 669 



Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry 
JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief 




S\Jf'''^'WL. 



Washington, D. C. 



November 18, 1918 



THE MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM 
CHEESE IN THE FACTORY. 

By K. J. Matheson and F. R. Cammack, 
Of the Dairy Division. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 
Important factors in successful production. . . 1 

The manufacturing process 2 

Metliods of packing 11 

Yield of cheese per hundred pounds of milk. . 12 



Page. 
Experimental work on the manufacturing 

process 12 

E.xperimental work on keeping qualities of 

the cheese 21 

Summary 27 



IMPORTANT FACTORS IN SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION. 

When Neufcliatel and cream cheese are manufactured on a com- 
mercial scale it is important to use methods that will assure a uni- 
form, attractive, and wholesome product. Very little detailed in- 
formation dealing with the making- of Neufchatel cheese upon- a 
factory scale is available. In fact, in many cases the trade secrets 
of this branch of the dairy industry have cost manufacturers large 
sums of money. In outlining the methods of making the cheese 
several factors should be taken into consideration : 

1. Quality of raw material. 

2. Healthfulness of the cheese. 

3. Economical use of labor and equiitment. 

4. Reduction of losses to a minimum. 

5. Conditions influencing the keeping quality of the cheese. 

QUALITY OF MILK. 

Formerly starters were not used in the making of Neufchatel 
cheese on a commercial scale. Under such conditions a mixture 
of night's and morning's milk was deemed more desirable than fresh 
milk. With this system the normal fermentations were often super- 
seded by gassy fermentations in warm weather and especially' in the 

70784°— 18— Bull. 6G9 1 . 1 



2 BULLETilSr 669, U.. S. DEPARiTMENT OF AGBICUL.TTJRE. 

spring months. This resulted in injury to the quality of the cheese 
and also greatly reduced the yield. At present practicall}^ all manu- 
facturers pasteurize the milk, necessitating the use of a starter, but 
thereby preventing abnormal fermentations and insuring a uniform 
product from day to day. In- either case, whether pasteurized or 
not, a sure and rapid development of the acidity is necessary in 
order to make the- cheesfe successfully^ 

FACTORY SANITATION. 

The room where the milk and cheese are handled should be con- 
structed with a view of maintaining strict cleanliness. Cement walls 
and floors are almost imperative if they are to be kept in a sanitary 
condition by daily washing and flushing. The water used in the 
factory should be filtered or should be obtained from a source free 
from all possible contamination. The equipment and utensils in a 
soft-cheese factory should be so arranged and constructed as to be 
easily cleaned. Only such apparatus as is daily needed to facili- 
tate the rapid and proper handling of the milk and cheese should 
be left in the workrooms. Precautions should be taken also to 
have all heating and cooling pipes below rather than above the 
place where the cheese is drained, so as to gua.rd against falling par- 
ticles of dirt and rust. All windows and doors of the factory should 
be provided with fine-meshed screens, to keep out flies and. other 
insects. 

THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. 

The process of making Neufchatel and cream cheese in the fac- 
tory is essentially the same as that on the farm, as. described in 
Farmers' Bulletin 960. The handling of large quantities of milk, 
however, requires more elaborate and extensive equipment in order 
that the numerous operations may be performed rapidly and effi- 
ciently. Vats of about 600 gallons' capacity are commonly used for 
heating the milk. After a preliminary warming with the addition 
of rennet and a starter, the milk is run directly into shotgun cans 
holding about 4 gallons each, which are filled by means of a con- 
necting pipe. The cans are then set side by side in a concrete-walled 
room, commonly known as a cellar, or, if the room is small, placed 
one upon another. Along the sides of the cellar are steam pipes 
that regulate the temperature so as to induce proper fermentation. 
After the milk has ripened for 15 to 18 hours the coagulum is poured 
upon draining cloths supported by means of special drain racks 
placed side by side. After a large part of the whey has drained off, 
the corners of the cloths are folded together, tucked in, and the re- 
sulting bags placed on ice in order to prepare the curd for pressing. 
After pressing, the curd is salted, ground by means of a roller or 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM" CHEE&E. 3 

other mixing device, and sent through a special molding machine 
which molds and cuts the cheese to the proper size. The cakes of 
cheese are then wrapped in tin foil or aluminum foil and boxed for 
shipment. 

The details of the various steps of manufacturing are as follows : 

PASTEURIZATION. 

The principal reason for pasteurization in the making of soft, un- 
ripened cheese is to remove the danger from disease-producing organ- 
isms. In working with cheeses of the Neufchatel group, Schroeder ^ 
found that of 32 samples of Neufchatel cheese tested none were in- 
fected with tubercle bacilli ; of 31 samples of cottage cheese tested 
1 was infected with tubercle bacilli ; of 131 samples of cream cheese 
tested 18 M^ere infected with tuber'cle bacilli. In each case the tubercle 
bacilli founcLwere of the bovine type. The desirability of pasteuriz- 
ing milk for the making of such cheese is therefore evident. 

If proper pasteurization is practiced, together with the use of an 
efficient starter, there are a number of other advantages, which may 
be enumerated as follows: 

1. The cheese produced is more nearly uniforui. 

2. Gassy feniientations accompanied witli excessive curd losses are prevented. 

3. The yield is slightly increased. 

4. Cheese of uniformly higher quality with less (hiiigcr of l)itterness when 
aged is insured. 

5. Milk for making the cheese can be held for a longei- time. 

It is unquestionably true that cheese nuide from unpasteurized 
milk and Avithout the use of a starter possesses a characteristic aroma 
at first not so readily observable in the pasteurized cheese, but the 
difference becomes less marked in the course of a few da^s. The 
initial aroma may be produced by some volatile substance that is 
partially driven off in the course of the pasteurization. To obtain a 
safe product, however, it seems desirable either to use milk from 
tuberculin-tested cows, or to pasteurize the milk and use a starter, 
even though the initial flavor is sacrificed to a slight extent. 

Milk may be pasteurized by either the holding or the flash system 
of pasteurization, although the first mentioned is the better. Where 
new factories are being established, the holding system is always 
recommended. With the flash system the milk is heated to 165° or 
170° F, for a moment and then cooled to the desired temperature. 
With the holding system the milk is heated to 145° F. and held at 
that temperature for 30 minutes. For small-scale operations the milk 
may be pasteurized by heating in a jacketed vat and cooled by water 
without being -removed from the vat. For large operations the most 
economical kind of pasteurizer not only pasteurizes but cools and 

1 " Public Health Studies Concerning Cheese," a paper read before th-e International 
Association of Dairy and Milk Inspectors by E. C. Schroeder, at Washington, D. C, 
Oct. 17, 1917. 



4 BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

mixes the milk. From the standpoint of quality of the cheese there is 
practically no difference between the two processes; and in either case 
the milk, after pasteurization, should be cooled quickly to 80° F. for 
Neufchatel or 83° F. for cream cheese. It is possible so to regulate 
the flow of brine or water in the coil as to bring the temperature of 
the milk to the desired point without rew arming. 

STANDARDIZING THE MILK. 

It is desirable to use whole milk testing 3| to 4 per cent for 
making Neufchatel, while for cream cheese sufficient cream should 
be added to the milk to bring the resulting mixture to .from 6 to 8 per 
cent fat. In some factories the milk is skimmed and cream enough 
is added to obtain a 6 or 8 per cent milk. The milk always should be 
standardized before pasteurization. 

With 4 per cent milk available, if one-third of the quantity is run 
through a cream separator and the resulting cream added to the 
remaining two-tjiirds, milk testing approximately 6 per cent is 
obtained. If the milk tests only 3 per cent it will be necessary to 
separate one-half of the quantity and add the cream to the remaining 
half. For extensive operations it is advisable to use a Babcock 
tester to standardize the milk accurately. The following diagram 
illustrates an easy metliod of determining the proportions of milk 
and cream of different per cent of fat needed to make up 6 per cent 
milk : 

Cream and milk on lunul. Proportions to tie uscfl. 

34 per cent cream. 2 parts cream. 



Six per cent 
milk desired. 



4 per cent milk. 28 parts milk. 

The desired p'er cent of fat, in this case 6, is placed in the center 
of the square. At the upper left-hand corner the per cent of fat 
in the available cream is placed, in this instance 34. Immediately 
below, in the lower left-hand corner, the per cent of fat in the 
available milk is placed, which in the instance cited is 4. Next sub- 
tract diagonally across the square the smaller from the larger num- 
ber and place the difference in the upper and lower right-hand 
corners respectivelv. In the upper right-hand corner 2 represents 
the number of parts of 34 per cent cream, and in the lower right-hand 
corner 28 represents the number of parts of 4 per cent milk neces- 
sary to make 6 per cent milk. 

If it is desired to make up a definite quantity of 6 per cent milk, 
for example 60 pounds, the procedure is as follows: Two added to 



MANUFACTURE OP NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 5 

28 makes a total of 30 parts of 6 per cent milk. The quantity of 34; 
per cent cream necessary is ^ X 60, or 4 pounds, while the quan- 
tity of 4 per cent milk is -f^ X 60, or 56 pounds. 

STARTERS. 

A rapid development of acidity is necessary. The addition of 
commercial lactic starter aids in hastening subsequent drainage and 
checks objectionable fermentations. From 1 to 1| per cent of 
starter is recommended for best results. The curd of the starter 
should be broken up into a fine condition before adding it to the 
milk. When pasteurization is practiced sufficient starter must always 
be added to make the development of acidity certain, and tliere is 
little danger of developing the acidity too rapidly. A slow-acting 
or impure starter is sure to cause disappointment and losses. 

Too much attention can not be given to keeping the starter vigorous 
and pure. Satisfactory starters may usually be obtained from any 
reliable starter company. The method of handling the starter on a 
factory scale may be outlined as follows : 

1. Place a clean agitator in a shotgun can that is bright, clean, and 
free from rust. (A 2-quart fruit jar and a long-handled spoon will 
be satisfactory for a small-scale operation.) 

2. Put a quart of fresh skim milk in the can or jar and heat to 
175° F. and hold at that temperature for 30 minutes. 

3. Cool the milk to 75° F. and add the entire contents of a pack- 
age of solid or liquid commercial starter, stir vigorously, cover, and 
set away until coagulation takes place. 

4. Hea.t several gallons of skim milk in a starter can or in a 10- 
gallon milk can to 175° F. and hold at that temperature for 30 
minutes, then cool to 75° F. 

5. By means of an agitator break up the coagulum in the shot- 
gun can into finely divided particles and then pour it into the starter 
can or 10-gallon milk can containing the pasteurized skim milk. 

6. Each day repeat steps 4 and 5, but instead of preparing a fresh 
starter as in 1 and 2, use about" 1 quart of the starter prepared the 
day before to each 10 gallons of pasteurized milk. 

TEMPERATURE FOR SETTING. 

The temperature at which milk. is usually set to ripen is 80° F. 
for Neufchatel and 83° F. for cream cheese. In certain factories 
the milk is set at 78° F. and the temperature is raised seve-ral degrees 
after coagulation has taken place. Experiments have demonstrated 
that temperatures from 75° to 85° F. for setting may be safely used. 
The object of the higher temperatures for setting is to favor a rapid 
coagulation, which in a measure reduces subsequent fat losses by 
quickly cheeking the rising cream. The temperature of setting de- 



6 BULLETIN 609, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

termines to a great extent the softness or firmness of the curd. Under 
normal conditions it requires from 45 to 60 minutes to curdle milk; 
the exact time to set a given lot of milk will, of course, depend upon 
the temperature, acidity, rennet, and composition of the milk. 

RENNET OR PEPSIN. 

Commercial liquid rennet, one-third of an ounce, or five-sixths of 
a gram of powdered pepsin, is added to each 1,000 pounds of milk. 
The rennet should be diluted in a half pail of cold water, or if 
pepsin is used, the powder is first dissolved in a little cold water 
and then handled in the same manner as rennet. There is some ad- 
vantage, in the case of cream cheese, in using half an ounce of liquid 
rennet or 1 gram of powdered pepsin per 1,000 pounds of milk in- 
stead of the quantities specified. Sometimes powdered rennin is used 
as a curdling, agent, in which- case the quantity depends upon its 
strength. One gram of powdered rennin i-s usually equivalent to' 
4 or 5 grams of liquid rennet. 

The powdered pepsin or powdered rennet should be weighed, on an 
accurate balance and then dissolved in 20 times its weight of water 
warmed to 105° F. The solution is. then poured througli a strainer 
cloth into a dipper of cold water in order to remove any solid par- 
ticles. Under no circumstances should powders be dissolved until 
needed for use. Pepsin has given nearly as satisfactory results as 
rennet and is less expensive. 

All liquid curdling agents should be kept in a cold phice in dark- 
brown bottles which are kept tightly corked. 

FILLING THE CANS. 

After being pasteurized and. cooled down to 80° or 83° F. and the 
curdling agent added, the milk is drawn off from the faucets of the 
setting vats, which should be placed close to the cellar. The work 
must be conducted rapidl}^ so that the contents of the va.t may be 
removed within half an hour, to avoid agitating the milk after it 
has. begun to set. Unless a sanitary connecting pipe is used in filling 
the shotgun cans it requires several workers to remove them as 
rapidly as they are fiJled. If not very carefully cleaned and 
thoroughly sterilized daily, the connecting pipe can not be kept 
in sanitary condition, and its uSe should be avoided. The shotgun 
cans are usually filled in the forenoon in order that the curd may be 
ready for drainage the following morning. 

DUMPING THE CURD. 

The following moming, if the fermentation or ripening has 
progressed satisfactorily,, there should be about a quarter of an inch 
of whey, which is sufficient to form a scum on the surface of the 
curd. This is a fairly accurate sign of a proper fermentation, while 



MAiSrUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CKEAJVL CHEESE. 7 

the absence of whey on the surface and a puffed appearance of the 
curd indicate either a poor starter or improper pasteurization. 

Usually between 5 and G a. m. the cans of curd are poured upon 
the cotton-sheeting draining cloths which were spread over the 
racks the previous evening. In emptying the shotgun cans the con- 
tents are poured carefully against the side of the drain cloth rather 
than in the center, in order that any cream which may have risen 
may not be leached unnecessarily by the rapidly escaping whey. 
The contents of each can should be so poured as to break the jelly- 
like curd or coagulum as little as possible. No curd should be left 
adhering to the sides of the can. If the curd has a tendency to stick, 




Pig. 1. — Gassy curd and normal curd. 

which is more often the case when pasteurized milk has been used, 
it may be loosened by striking the can against the floor. 

Wlien emptied, the shotgun cans should be washed immediately, 
first in cold water and then scrubbed thoroughly in hot water con- 
taining washing powder, after which they should be rinsed again 
with warm water and thoroughly steamed. 

The cans may be transported from the place of setting to the 
draining racks either by overhead trolley or by hand; in either case 
several men are needed to do the work promptly. 

DRAINING. 

The draining should be completed in about three hours, depending 
somewhat upon the kind of cheese, for cream-cheese curd drains 
much more slowly than partially skimmed Neufchatel curd. A 
gassy curd drains much more rapidly than a normal curd, and the 
losses of curd are excessive. 



8 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



For the first two hours the coaguhim is left undisturbed, in order 
that the free whey may escape and that the curd may acquire a con- 
sistence that is not readily broken to pieces. Finely broken curd is 
unfavorable for drainage. During the last hour the curd is worked 
toward the center of the cloth by means of a tin or wooden ladle. 
The ends of each drain cloth are then loosened and the cloth and its 
contents placed in a boxlike rack which rests upon a wide, flat board, 
after which first the sides and then the ends of the cloth are alter- 
nately folded over the curd. The end pieces of the cloth are then 
tucked in. giving each drain cloth and contents a baglike appearance. 




Fig. 2. — Draining equipment in a modern factory. 

After the preliminary draining just described the manner of han- 
dling the curd in the bags will depend upon how soon they are to 
be pressed. If the cheese is to be pressed the same day the pro- 
cedure is as follows: After draining for 30 minutes the bags are 
piled one upon another in a rack, where they remain for about half 
an hour, after which the bags from two racks are placed in a single 
pile. Usually two or three racks are placed one above another aaid 
the bottom 'sticks are removed. For about an hour the three or four 
dozen bags remain undisturbed, save for a rearrangement which 
occurs once during the period, when the position of the bags is 
reversed. 

When the curd is not pressed until the following day, the bags of 
curd are placed on ice at once. 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 9 

ICING. 

When the cheese is made in large quantities, the bags of curd are 
always in alternate layers of cracked ice prior to pressing. Usually 
a large rectangular box about 3 feet high, 8 feet long, and 3 feet 
wide is provided in which alternate layers of ice and bags of curd 
are placed. Under the first system of draining, the curd may be 
cool enough in a few hours to permit pressing, while, if the pressing 
is not to be done until the following day, the bags are left on ice 
overnight. The object of chilling is to harden the curd so that it 
does not so readily pass into the meshes of the drain cloths and in- 
terfere with draining, and also to give it sufficient body to be 
molded. 

PRESSING. 

After chilling, the bags of curd are placed in a lever press pro- 
vided with ratchet and pawl, where firm but increasing p'ressure is 
applied gradually, in order to allow the escape of whey and incor- 
porated air. Without this precaution there is danger of applying 
so much pressure as to break the drain cloths, which is more liable to 
occur at first with a comparatively light pressure than later when 
more pressure is applied. The pressing should continue until a 
yield of 18 to 20 pounds per 100 pounds of milk is obtained for 
cream cheese and 11 to 16 pounds for Neufchatel cheese. This is 
equivalent to a yield per bag (30-pound unit of milk) of 5^ to 6 
pounds of cream cheese and 4-| pounds of Neufchatel. The acidity 
of the whey at the beginning of pressing is about 0.50 to 0.55 per 
cent. 

WORKING AND SALTING. 

After pressing, the cakes of curd are salted and worked by ma- 
chinery into a more or less buttery consistence. This is accom- 
plished by either of two machines, namely, (1) a grinding machine 
consisting of a hopper and two grinding cylinders, which are rotated 
in opposite directions b}^ power, and (2) a bread mixer or similar 
mixing device, which consists of a tilting mixing box provided with 
knives revolving in opposite directions, operated by electric powder. 
Salt is sprinkled on the cakes of curd, usually at the rate of 1 pound 
of salt to 100 pounds of curd. Some numufacturers salt as high as 
1^ pounds to 100 pounds of curd ; the amount of salt to use will of 
course depend upon the trade demands. Either of the machines 
mentioned is used to distribute the salt uniformly throughout the 
curd; the rest of the work necessary for a cheese of smooth consist- 
ence is to be performed by the spiral screw of the molding machine. 
The mixer type gives the curd a very soft consistence, so much so 
that it must be kept at a low temperature for several hours or over- 
night before it will be in a fit condition for molding. On the other 
hand, the grinding machine is less vigorous in action and handles 
70784°— 18— Bull. 6G9 2 



10 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTTJRE. 



the curd more rapidly. In this case, after coming from the machine, 
the curd is ready to mold at once. 

The cheese, as it comes from either the mixing or the grinding 
machine, is transferred to the refrigerator or to the molding ma- 
chine in large cans or square wooden boxes holding from 80 to 100 
pounds. 

MOLDING. 

A special machine designed for molding may be purchased and is 
in use in most of the large soft-cheese establishments. The curd is 
placed in a hopper from which a spiral screw forces it into a molding 
tube that delivers it to an automatic cutting device, which cuts the 
curd to the desired lengths for wrapping. Operated by skilled work- 




FlG. 



-Curd mixer and press 



men with the curd in the proper condition, the machine can mold and 
cut from 2,400 to 2,500 Neufchatel cheeses an hour, and cream cheese 
in like proportion. 

Two conditions are necessary for the proper working of the ma- 
chine: (1) The curd must have the proper temperature, about 50° F. ; 
(2) the curd must not contain too much moisture. A yield of from 
18 to 20 pounds of cheese per 100 pounds of milk seems most satis- 
factory. With a lower yield the cheese runs through with difficulty ; 
with a higher yield it is often too mushy to handle satisfactorily. 
Only one person is actuallj'^ required to operate the machine, although 
several are necessary for wrapping. The curd should be worked from 
the hopper into a feed screw by means of a ladle. The issuing roll 
or ribbon of cheese is automatically cut to the desired size and car- 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 



11 



ried hj means of a canvas conveyer, which is about 10 inches wide and 
12 feet long:, to the place of wrapping. Along either side of the con- 
veyer are seated girls who dexterously remove, wrap, and replace the 
cakes of cheese. At the end of the conveyer the wrapped cakes are 
removed by a girl who places them in suitable boxes. 

Pimiento-cream, or pimiento-olive cream cheese is handled a little 
differently. The curd and pimiento peppers are first run through a 
meat chopper and are then ready to be sent tlirough the molding 
machine. A cylindrical Neufchatel attachment in the sliape of a 
tube sufficiently small to pass to the bottom of a 4-ounce glass jar is 
used for filling purposes. The curd is forced into the jars until they 
are completely filled, when they are scraped over the end of the at- 
tachment so as to give a smooth appearance to the surface of the 
end and leave few if any air spaces throughout the curd mass. Some- 
times the tops of the jars are leveled off l)y means of a milk cap. 




-Wrapping and paekini; Xoufchatel 



from the molding macliiuc. 



METHODS OF PACKING. 

The cakes of Neufchatel and cream cheese are wrapped in tin or 
aluminum foil with parchment paper. The foil when purchased is 
cut to the proper size and stamped with the desired brand and weight. 
The commercial life of the cheese may be considerably lengthened by 
skillful and careful wrapping. Each wrapper should be drawn se- 
curely about the cheese before it is placed in the wooden box (" flat ") 
in single layers, and each package should be well shaped and present 
a bright, attractive appearance. 

Cream cheese is packed a dozen in each box, but the Neufchatel 
cheese is marketed in boxes containing 1 or 2 dozen cakes, and 
sometimes 25, to the box. 

Often the cheese is shipped in tubs or cans from the factory to the 
distributing center before molding. Such a system reduces labor 



12 BULLETIN. 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

and freight charges to a minimum, and the keeping quality of the 
product is likewise improved. 

The glass jarsof pimiento or olive-cream cheese are first covered 
with paraffined disks of paper cut to the proper size and then with 
screw caps. 

SIZE OF PACKAGES AND PRICES. 

Standard Neufchatel packages in tin foil are about 1^ inches in 
diameter and 2-i- inches long, and weigh from 2^ to 3 ounces. At 
present they retail at about 7 cents a package, while the wholesale 
price is about $1.40 a box of 25 cheeses. 

The cream-cheese packages in foil are 3 inches b}- 2 inches by 1 
inch and weigh from 3 to 3| ounces. Such packages retail at about 
15 cents each; the wholesale price is from $1.30 to $1.40 a box of 12. 

The pimiento cheeses, in glass jars, weigh 3^ ounces net and retail 
at about J 5 cents a jar. 

The size of packages has been fixed by experience. Larger pack- 
ages ha^e been tried by manufacturers, but the practice was quickly 
discarded as being impracticable. A small package of cheese may 
be consumed at a single meal, whereas larger packages would require 
special and effective refrige'\ition to prevent the development of 
mold and deterioration of flavor. 

YIELD OF CHEESE PER HUNDRED POUNDS OF MILK. 

The yield of Neufchatel and cream cheese varies with the composi- 
tion of the milk and the metJiocls employed in making. One hun- 
dred pounds of milk containing 4 per cent fat yields from 14 to 16 
pounds of Neufchatel cheese, and milk containing from 6 to 8 per cent 
fat yields from 18 to 20 pounds of cream cheese. Higher yields some- 
times are obtained, but cheese with a much higher 3'ield is too soft 
to handle satisfactorily. Pasteurization ordinarily increases the 
yield from one-half to 1 pound per 100 pounds of milk. Usually 
when a lower yield is obtained the cheese is gummy and unattractive 
to the average buyer. If made from milk containing less butterfat 
correspondingly lower yields are obtained, as is the case when Neuf- 
chatel cheese is made from partially skimmed milk, such as one- 
third, one-half, or even two-thirds skim. 

EXPERIMENTAL WORK ON THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. 

Experiments were conducted to determine the most efficient methods 
to follow in the manufacture and subsequent handling of the Neuf- 
chatel group of cheeses. The manufacturing phase of the work 
requires a consideration of the methods that will (1) reduce losses 
to a minimum, (2) insure a safe product, and (3) make the cheese 
most economically. The second phase of the work considers the 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL. AND CREAM CHEESE. 13 

A^arious factors which ma.y influence the keeping qualities of the 
cheese. Very little previous work has been done along this line. 

A study of each of the important steps has been fount! necessary 
to gather definite information with regard to the most efficient sys- 
tem of manufacturing, which includes a consideration of three fac- 
tors: (1) Initial condition of curd; (2) rapidity of drainage ; (3) fat 
losses. The following subjects have been cons-iderecl: 

1. Effect of different quantities of rennet. 

2. The use of pepsin as a substitute for rennet. 

3. Effect of temperature on the malving process. 

4. Effect of starter on tlie making process: 

5. Effect of pasteurization and starters on tlie making process. 

6. Effect of pasteurization on the moisture content of the cheese. 

7. Effect of homogenization on the making process. 

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT QUANTITIES OF RENNET. 

A definite quantity of rennet is necessary in the manufacture of 
the Neufchatel group of cheeses in order to obtain the characteristic 
curd, which must be neither too soft nor too brittle. The high cost 
of rennet requires that the curdling agent be used judiciously. So 
far nothing has been published regarding the most efficient and eco- 
nomical quantity of rennet to use for these cheeses. The quantity 
of rennet necessary depends not only upon the- rate at which the 
whey is expelled, but also upon the breaking up of the curd and 
upon the fat losses caused thereby. 

To determine this point, commercial liquid rennet in proportions 
varying from one-fourth of a cubic centimeter to 4 c. c. per 100 
pounds of milk was used, with the results shown in Table 1. In 
each case 250 c. c. of lactic starter was a.dded to each 30-pound unit 
of milk. Thirty pounds of milk was used in each of the experiments. 
All the whey was collected and measured from the time the coagulum 
was poured upon the draining cloths until the curd was in fit condi- 
tion to ice, or in some cases for only part of that time. In any case 
the different parts of each sample were handled in the same manner. 
Fat determinations were made of each unit of a sample. 

It is noticeable that the losses of fat increase with the higher per- 
centages of fat in the milk, and there is also a slight increase in 
losses with the higher proportions of rennet. The losses of fat in the 
whey appear to be greatest when the large quantity of rennet causes 
the coagulum to be so brittle that it appears to break up more readily 
than when the lower proportion of rennet is used. Rennet in as 
small quantities as one-half of a cubic centimeter gave fairly satis- 
factory results with Neufchatel cheese, though the curd of cream 
cheese appeared somewhat too moist. When 3 or 4 c. c. of rennet per 



14 BULLETIN 66&^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 

100 pounds was used, the curd was too dry to be' satisfactory and the 
draining period was not shortened. There is a gradual increase in 
the whey expelled with the larger quantity of rennet until about 4 
c. c. is used, when the drainage appears to be checked slightly. 

Rennet used at the rate of from one-half to 2 c. c. per 100 pounds 
seems to be the most satisfactory for Neufchatel cheese, whereas 1 c. c. 
to 2 c. c. seems most desirable for a like (juantity of cream cheese. 



MANUFACTUEE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 



15 



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16 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PEPSIN AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR RENNET. 

The scarcity of rennet has caused cheese manufacturers to look for 
a substitute. Table 2 shows the results of pepsin tests with cream 
cheese in quantities of one-sixth to one-twentj^-fourth of a gram per 
100 pounds of milk and fat determinations made of the whey. 

Table 2. — Effect of niriiiiit) (iiimi titles of i)ei»ii)i ui)0)i fat loss and condition of 

curd for crctnn cltecsc. 



Sam- 
ple 
No. 



Quantity of curdling agent per 
100 pounds of milk. 



Fat loss 


Fat in 


in whey. 


milk. 


Per cent. 


Per cent. 


0.18 


5.8 


.14 


5.8 


.14 


5.8 


.15 


5.8 


.14 


5.8 


.14 


5.8 


.08 


5.9 


.10 


5.9 


.08 


5.9 


.10 


5.9 


.08 


5.9 



Setting 
temperature. 



Starter per 
imit of 30 
pounds. 



Criticism 
of curd. 



Pepsin, 1/6 gram . 
Pepsin, 1/8 gram . 
Pepsin, 1/12 gram 
Pepsin, 1/16 gram 
Pepsin, 1/24 gram 
Rennet, 1 c. c 

Pepsin, 1/6 gram . 
Pepsin, 1/8 gram . 
Pepsin, 1/12 gram 
Pepsin, 1/24 gram 
Rennet, 1 c. c 



7° C. (80.6° F.) 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



200 c. c. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 



29° C. (84.2° F.) 

do 

do 

do 

do 



250 c. 
...do. 
...do. 
...do. 
...do. 



Too dry. 
Good. 

Do. 

Do. 
Too moist. 
Good. 

Too dry. 
Good. 

Do. 
Too moist. 
Good. 



Pepsin used at the rate of about one-twelfth of a gram per 100 
pounds gave the best results. With one-sixth of a gram for an equal 
quantity of milk the curd was too dry, while it was too moist when 
only one- twenty- fourth of a gram was used. The fat losses in the 
whey were practically the same for both the pepsin-made and the 
rennet-made cheese. 



EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE MAKING PROCESS. 

The literature about Neufchatel and cream cheese shows different 
opinions relative to the temperature to use in their manufacture, the, 
figures varying from 20° to 25° C. (68° to 77° F.). In our experi- 
ments to test this matter somewhat higher temperatures were found 
preferable. Temperatures ranging from 15° to 34^° C. (59° to 94.1° 
F.) were used. There was a degree or two of variation between the 
temperature of setting and that of pouring. The average tempera- 
ture is given in the table. The method of making was the ordinary 
one previously described. The results are seen in Table 3. 

It is noticeable that the losses of fat increase in the samples with 
the higher percentages of fat, and that the losses witli the low- 
setting temperatures are somewhat high. A temperature below 
25° C. (77° F.) or much above 30° C. (86° F.) did not prove desirable 
for the setting of either type of cheese. 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 



17 








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18 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGKICULTTJKE. 



EFFECT OF STARTER ON THE MAKING PROCESS. 

Veiy little information is available as to how much starter may 
be safely added to ripen milk for making Neufchatel cheese. When 
milk is pasteurized the need of carefully determining this point is 
obvious, for the desirable development of acidity must be assured 
or the cheese will be rendered unfit for sale. The effect of varying 
quantities of starter upon the fat loss in the whey is another point 
to be noted. 

Samples of Neufchatel and cream cheese were made without 
starter, while others contained from 1 to 1,250 c. c. of starter per 
30-pound unit, as indicated in Table 4. 

Table 4. — Effect of starter on fat los.s and drainage. 

Set at 25° C. (77° F.). 



Sample 1 (Neufchatel). 
Rennet 14 c. e. Fat 3.1 per cent. 


Sample 2 (cream). 
Rennet 11 c. c. Fat 6.3 per cent. 


Quantity of 
starter. 


Fat loss. 


WTiey per 
unit. 


Criticism 
of curd. 


Quantity of 
starter. 


Fat loss. 


^^^ley per 
unit. 


Criticism 
of curd. 


1 c. c 

lOc.c 

250e.c 


Per cent. 

0.15 

.15 

.15 


Grams. 
8,150 
8,160 
9,170 


Good. 
Good. 
Good. 


None 

10c. c 

.50C.C 

250 c. c 

1,250c. C... 


Per cent. 
0.6 
.35 
.30 
..30 
.35 


Grams. 
9,170 

5,880 
7,020 
7,-130 
8,490 


Off flavor. 

Good. 

Good. 

Good. 

Good. 



Set at 28-1° C. (83.3° F.). 



Sample 3 (Neufchatel). 
Rennet -J c.c. Fat 3.8 per cent. 


Sample 4 f cream). 
Rennet 1 c. c. Fat 5.6 per cent. 


Quantity of 
starter. 


Fat loss. 


Whey per 
unit. 


Criticism 
of curd. 


Quantity of 
starter. 


Fat loss. 


Whey per 
unit. 


Criticism 
of curd. 


None 

10 c. c 

50 c. c 

250c. c 

1,250 c. c 


Per cent. 
0.6 
.06 
.06 
.07 
.19 


Grams. 
9,060 
8,150 
8,620 
8,830 
8,380 


Gassy. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Fair. 


None 

lOc.c 

SOc.c 

250 c. ft 

1,250c. c... 


Per cent. 
1.1 
.10 
.10 
.10 
.10 


Grams. 
10, 180 
7,810 
9,060 
8,150 
7,110 


Gassy. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Fair. 



The loss of fat shows the desirability of using starter instead of 
depending upon the normal fermentation, which may be gassy. 
Gassy fermentations are especially liable to occur in the spring 
months. Such fermentations may be sufficiently vigorous to cause 
the curd to run over the sides of the setting cans and often greatly 
reduce the yield of cheese, as well as lowering its quality. 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 



19 



Little difference was noted in the cheese made with varying quan- 
tities of starter. The use of heavy starter, as in case of samples 3 
and 4, had a tendency to check drainage rather than encourage it. 
The same effect is caused by milk that has been ripened to a high 
degree before setting. As indicated in Table 4, there seems to be an 
advantage in setting the milk at 28^° C. (83.3° F.) and using rennet 
at the rate of 1 c. c. per 100 pounds rather than setting the milk at 
25° C. (77° F.) and using U c. c. of rennet for an equal quantity. 
There was very little difference in the flavor of the cheese made with 
different quantities of starter up to 250 c. c. pe-r unit of 30 pounds. 

EFFECT OF PASTEURIZATION. 

The primary object in the pasteurization of milk for Neufchatel 
and cream cheese is to render the resulting cheese safe from disease- 
producing organisms, and as a secondary object to reduce losses to 
a minimum. In addition, with the use of vigorous starter there 
should be little danger of a gassy fermentation after pasteurization. 
Several trials were made with pasteurized and nonpasteurized cheese 
to study their effects upon fat loss and drainage, as indicated in 
Table 5. 

Table 5. — Effect of pasteurization on fat losses and rate of drainage. 



Pasteurization tempera- 
ture. 



Neiifcliatel. 



Sample 1. Rennet I c. c. set at 25° C. 
(77° F.). Fat,'3.2 per cent. 



Fat loss. 



WTiey 
per unit. 



Criticism of 
curd. 



Sample 2. Rennet I c. e. set 25° C. 
(77° F.). Fat, 4 per cent. 



Fat loss. 



Whey 
per unit. 



Criticism of 
curd. 



Not pasteurized 
60° C. (149° F.). 
65° C. (149° F.). 
70° C. (158° F.). 



Per cent. 

0.2 

.25 

.25 

.25 



Grams. 
7,360 
6,730 
6,900 
7,130 



Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 



Per cent. 

0.2 

.2 

.2 

.2 



Grams. 
7, 420 
6,720 
7,180 
6,830 



Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 



Pasteurization tempera- 
ture. 



Cream. 



Sample 3. Rennet ?< c.c. 
Set 25° C (77° F.).' Fat 
5.9 per cent. 



Fat 
loss. 



^^^^^y Criticism 



Sample 4. Rennet h c. c. 

Set 25° C. (77° F.)". Fat 
6.3 per cent. 



Fat 
loss. 



Whey 
per 
unit. 



Criticism 
of curd. 



Sample 5. Reimet J c. c. 

Set 25° C. (77° F.)'. Fat 
5.8 per cent. 



Fat 
loss. 



Whey 
per 
unit. 



Criticism 
of curd. 



Not pasteurized 
60° C. (140° F.). 
65° C. (149° F.). 
70° C. (158° F.). 



P.ct. 

0.25 

.30 

.30 

.30 



Grams. 
9, 490 
7,130 
7,700 
7,300 



Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 



P.ct. 

0.3 

.3 

.3 

.35 



Grams. 
7,380 
5,940 
6,000 
6,680 



Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 



P.ct. 

0.25 

.30 

.35 

.35 



Grams. 
6,430 
5,390 
5,660 
5,660 



Good. 
Good. 
Good. 
Good. 



20 



BULLETIN 669, IT. S. DEPAR-TMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Comparatively little difference was found in the losses either with 
or without pasteurization, or with the different temperatures for pas- 
teuriza.tion. Th.ese figures show that where milk is pasteurized for 
making Neufchatel cheese the resulting curd tends to retain more of 
the whey. While theoretically the fat losses should be reduced some- 
Avhat by pasteurization because of the slowness with which the cream 
rises to the surface of the milk, yet the results fail to indicate any 
marked difference. 

EFFECT OF PASTEURIZATION ON THE MOIS.TURE CONTENT OF THE CHEESE. 

Pasteurization tends to give a higher perc'entage of water in Neuf- 
chatel cheese than is the case in that made from raw milk. It appears 
that the pasteurized curd is more retentive, possibly because the curd 
particles are more finely divided than those from raw milk. When 
the pasteurized and the raw product are handled under the same con- 
ditions as far as .we are able to control them, there is about 2^ per 
cent greater yield in moisture with the pasteurized cheese. Table 6 
illustrates this point. 

Table G. — Water in pasteurized (i)iu' unpasteurized ereain cheese. 



Saq^ple No. 


Not pas- 
teurized. 


Pasteur- 
ized. 


1 


Per cent. 

moisture. 
46.18 
48.82 
46.00 


Per cent. 

moisture. 
51.26 
50.06 
4^06 


2 


3 


Average 


47.00 


49.46 



These figures are from chemical analysis by Dr. J. N. Currie, formerly of the Dairy Division. 
EFFECT OF HOMOGENIZATION ON THE MAKING PROCESS. 

The cheese made from homogenized milk seems to " handle '' very 
well, and the whey from the curd was remarkably clear. Wliile it is 
possible that not all the fat is measured by the ordinary Babcock 
test, yet it is believed that such determinations give at least a very 
close approximation to the fat loss. 

With creajn cheese the fat losses are liable to be excessive. With 
the object of reducing these losses, milk was first standardized and 
then homogenized at a temperature of 43° C. (109.4° F.) a>nd 2,000 
pounds' pressure. The homogenized and unhomogenized samples of 
the same percentage of fat were taken from the same lots of milk. 
Cream cheese was then made in the usual way and the fat losses de- 
termined. 



MANUFACTLTRF OF NEUFCHATEL AND CEEAM CHEESE. 21 

Table 1.— Effect of homogenization on fat losses in cream, cheese. 



Sample No. 



Loss 


Fat in 


of fat. 


milk. 


Per ct. 


Per ct. 


0.015 


6.2 


.020 


6.2 


.020 


6.2 


.025 


6.2 


.015 


6.2 


.200 


6.2 


.04 


6.0 


.150 


6.0 



Temperature 
of setting. 



Quan- 
tity of 


Rennet 
added 


starter 


per 100 


unit. 


pounds. 


C.c. 


C.c. 


250 


1 


250 




250 




250 




250 




250 




250 




250 


1 



Criticism of curd. 



1. Homogenized 

2. Homogenized 

3. Homogenized 

4. Homogenized 

5. Homogenized 

0. Not homogenized 

7. Homogenized 

8. Not homogenized 



30° C. (86° F.) 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Good curd, whey 
very clear. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Good curd. 
Good curd, whey 

very clear. 
Good curd. 



There is a slight advantage in homogenization in reducing the fat 
losses, but it is doubtful whether there is i-ufRcient gain by this 
process to justify the added cost of sucli treatment. 

EXPERIMENTAL WORK ON KEEPING QUALITIES OF THE 

CHEESE. 

Neufchatel and similar cheeses are ver}^ perishable products, the 
length of time that they can be kept depending upon the manner in 
which the cheese has been handled and the nature and quantity of 
the added ingredients. In the study of this problem the following 
points were considered : 

1. Influence of yield on quality. 

2. Influence of salt on keeping quality. 

3. Influence of the holding system (,f pasteurization. 

4. Effect of homogenization and of the flash and holding systems of 

pasteurization on keeping quality. 

5. The use of powdered pepsin. 

6. Influence of pimiento peppers. 

INFLUENCE OF YIELD ON QUALITY. 

In order to study the influence of yield upon quality, cream cheese 
was made in the customary manner, with the exception that some 
samples were pressed more than others. The samples were made to 
give yields varying from 15 to 24 pounds per 100 pounds of milk, 
and some were pasteurized, while others were not. The samples were 
kept at 10° C. (50° F.) and 20° C. (68° F.) and were judged by a 
number of persons at various intervals, with the residts shown in 
Table 8. 

In this and succeeding tests (Tables 9 to 13) the number of per- 
sons judging the cheese varied from» time to time. This was un- 
avoidable, as it was not practicable to have the same number each 
time. 



22 



BULLETIN 669, U. S, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Tablk S. — The effect of yield upon kecpinij qualiti/ (>f crcdm cheese in storat/c. 

[Samples held at 10° C. (50° F.).] 



Sample 1. 


Sample 2. 






Sample 3. 






Yield from 100 pounds of 




Yield from 100 pounds of milk, 




Yield from 100 pounds 




milk. 








not pasteurized. 








of milk. 






















M 


1 


w 


-iJ 






^ ' 5^-«" 




(S 










o 


05 








o 


§ 


(-■O 

-» 


S 


w 




m 




a 


1 


^■«- 


ft'g 


a_- 


??-^- 


1 
o 
o 




poimds 
teurizt 

pound 
teuriz( 




"3 
o 

<1 


13 

i 

P. 


o 
ft 


i 

ft 


73 

o 


at 
P< 


S3 
a 

o 


3 3 

al 


9 3 


o » 




< 


s 


00 ta 


00 Cu 


S 


c^ 




lO 


2: 


■< 


IM 








Days. 










Days. 












Dai/.t. 










4 


12 


3 


1 


1 


2 


1 


1 


1 


1 


1 


4 


1 


3 


1 




8 


2 


3 


2 


1 


4 








2 





1 


6 


2 


2 


2 


2 


11 


1 


2 


2 


1 


6 





2 











8 


2 


3 


1 


T 


15.... 


1 


3 


2 


• 2 


7 





3 


1 


1 




11 


1 


2 


2 


1 


18 


2 


2 


1 


2 


8 





1 


1 








13 


1 


2 


1 


1 


21 


3 


3 


2 


1 


11 








3 





1 


15 


2 


2 


2 


2 


25.... 


2 


2 


2 


1 


16 


1 





1 






















IS 


2 


3 


2 


1 


1 

































I The figures 1, 2, and 3 in body of table Ladicate the number of people expressing a preference for partic- 
ular samples of cheese. In this and subsequent tests it was impractical le to have the same numler of 
judges for each set of samples. 

The samples that yielded highest appeared slightly more acid than 
the low-yield cheese, although the differences were not especially 
marked. The low-yield cheese seemed much more " gummy " and 
more quickly developed a Cheddarlike flavor after being kept several 
days. The majority of the judges preferred the cheese giving a yield 
of 18 pounds per 100 pounds of milk, while nearly as many preferred 
the cheese giving a yield of 21 pounds. With a yield of much more 
than 20 pounds per 100 pounds of milk, much difficulty will be ex- 
perienced in running the curd through the molding machine. Be- 
cause of that fact there is little danger of manufacturers making too 
moist a cheese. 

INFLUENCE OF SALT ON KEEPING QUALITY. 

In order to study the influence of salt in cheese upon its keeping 
quality, cream cheese was made in the usual way from milk testing 
6.2 per cent fat, and portions were salted at the rate of ^, f , 1^, and 1^ 
per cent. The cheese was wrapped in tin foil and held at 10® C. (50° 
F.) and 22° C. (71.6° F.) and examined at various periods. Table 9 
gives the result of the experiment. 



MANUFACTURE OP NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 23 

Table 9. — Influence of salt on keeping quality of cream cheefte. 





Held at 10° C. (50° F.) 


Held at 22° C. (71.6* F.). 


Age of cheese. 


Per cent of salt. 


Percent of salt. 




1 


2 


11 


IV 


1 


3 


IJ 


H 


Days. 
3 


oooooooo 


5 
3 

1 
2 

1 

1 
1 



3 

I 
3 
2 
1 
2 
1 


3 

1 

1 












3 
2 

1 


3 
3 

5 

4 


5 


6 


2 


8 





11 





15 




19 








24' 








28 












1 





1 The figures in body of table indicate the number of people expressing a preference for a particular kind 
of cheese. 

Most people seem to prefer a cheese containing" from three-fourths 
to 1^ j)er cent of salt. The cheese with one-fourth per cent salt was 
pronounced flat and insipid, while that with 1| per cent was usually 
considered too salty. The cheese with tlie one-fourth per cent salt 
spoiled more quickly than the other samples. When a few days old 
a slight bitterness developed in the cheese containing li per cent 
salt, while there was a distinct "off flavor" in the low-salted cheese. 
The cheese containing three- fourths and 1^ per cent of salt seemed 
to keep equally well. In general the lower proportion of salt, about 
three-fourths to 1 per cent, is to be preferred, because a higher per 
cent has a tendency to hide the finer flavors of the cheese. 

INFLUENCE OF THE HOLDING SYSTEM OF PASTEURIZATION. 

To test the keeping qualities of pasteurized and unpasteurized 
cream cheeses, some experimental cheese was made at a commercial 
factory and sent to the laboratory of the Dairy Division. The 
cheese was shipped by express and upon arrival was placed in rooms 
maintained by an electric control at 20°, 15°, 10°, and 5° C. (68°, 
59°, 50°, and 41° F.), respectively. 

The initial heating of the milk was accomplished by running it 
through a pasteurizer where a temperature of about 62° C. (143.6° 
F.) was maintained for 35 minutes or longer. The milk was then 
run over cooling coils and cooled to the proper temperature for 
setting. One and one-half per cent of a vigorous starter was then 
added and the milk thoroughly stirred, after which the making 
process was carried on in the usual manner. The cheese was made 
from milk testing approximately 6 per cent fat. Samples were col- 
lected on successive days from the 200 or 300 pounds of experi- 
mental cheese, 

The keeping qualities of the pasteurized and unpasteurized cheese 
held at various temperatures were determined by submitting samples 
of both, marked only by numbers, to individuals who recorded their 
preferences, as shown in Table 10, 



24 



BULLETIN 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table 10. — Keeping qualities of pasteurized and unpasteurized cream cheese in 

storage. 





Held at 20° C. (68° F.)- 


Heldatl5°C.(59°F.). 


Held at 10° C. (50° F.). 


Held at 5° C. (41° F.). 


6 

"A 

S. 

ft 

s 


% 

t 
o 

< 


Pi 


1 

o 

:2; 


i 

•S 

£1 
P. 

o 


1 


3 
o 


<6 

i 

ft 
o 


•6 

a 


3 
o 

o 

2; 


g 

ft 

c 
2 


•6 

3 

1 
Ph 


t4 

3 

B 
o 

2; 


i 

ft 
o 




Days. 
5 

f "^ 

9 

i 12 

14 

I 1*J 

7 

10 
12 
14 

f 4 
6 
8 
10 


18 
8 
7 
4 
3 
3 

6 

c 

G 



4 
5 
2 
5 

1 


4 
3 

1 
1 

3 


2 
3 
4 
2 
3 

2 
2 
2 
2 
5 


1 

1 

2 



" 


2 
2 
1 
2 

1 
5 
4 
2 
3 


6 
10 

4 

i] 

1 
4 

4 

2 
8 
1 


6 
2 
1 
1 
2 
3 

2 

3 
3 
1 

1 

1 
2 
2 

3 


1 



2 

1 
1 

1 
2 
2 

1 


2 
3 
4 

1 


9 


4 








I 





1 


6 
4 
2 


1 
1 


11 


1 
1 

1 


G 


1 

1 

■A 
2 


1 





1 


2 





4 


2 


G 


4 


2 




2 
3 


2 

1 


1 

3 


3 

4 


2 

1 



2 


3 


5 


3 





4 


2 


2 




I 12 


2 


3 


4 4 


4 


1 



1 The figures in body of table indicate the number of persons expressing a preference for n certain kind 
of cheese. 

The results seem to indicate that for about the first 10 days the 
preference was in favor of the pasteurized product for all tempera- 
tures. From 10 to 15 days the preference was for the pasteurized 
cheese held at 15° C. (59° F.) and 5° C. (41° F.) and for the un- 
pasteurized cheese at 10° C. (50° F.) and 20° C. (68° F.). 

In nearl}^ every case the texture of the pasteurized product was 
judged superior to the unpasteurized. The difference may be par- 
tiall}' accounted for by a small increase in water occasioned by the 
pasteurization. 

EFFECT OF HOMOGENIZATION AND OF THE FLASH AND HOLDING SYSTEMS OF 
PASTEURIZATION ON KEEPING QUALITY. 

To determine the most desirable system of handling milk prior 
to manufacturing it into cream cheese, so far as the keeping quality 
of the cheese is concerned, the following methods were studied : 

1. Homogenization of the milk. 

2. Flash system of pasteurization. 

3. Holding system of pasteurization. 

4. Checlv (where milk for cheese was neither homogenized nor pas- 

teurized). 

The samples of cheese compared were made from milk coming 
from the same vat, having therefore the same percentage of fat. 
When homogenization was practiced the milk was sent through the 
machine at 43° C. (109.4° F.) and with 2.000 pounds' pressure. Pas- 
teurization by the flash system was carried on at 76,6° C. (170° F.). 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL. AND CREAM CHEESE. 



25 



In the holding system of pasteurization two temperatures were 
used, 62.8° C. (145° F.) and 76-.6° C. (170° F.). ' The milk was heated 
to these temperatures, held for 30 minutes, and then cooled to the 
setting temperature. 

The milk was manufactured into cheese in the customary manner 
and the samples judged at intervals, as indicated in Table 11. 

Table 11. — Effect of homoiicnlzaiion and the flash and hoUlinf/ sifstciiis of pas- 
tciirlzatlon upon cream cheese in storage. 





Sample 1, held at- 


- 




Sampl 


B 2, held at— 




Sample 3, held at— 




10° 
(50° 


C. 

F.). 


15° 
(59° 


C. 

F.). 


20° 

(68° 


C. 

F.). 




10° C. (50° F.). 




10° C. (50° F.). 


















+^ 


^ 


^^ 






^ 


_^ 


^ 






















c3 ■ 


■s • 


iS • 








« • 


03 • 


c3 • 












































'6 




■6 




■6 








a; ft. 


■g^; 


-gfe 


•6 






afL, 


-g;^ 


"Sfc," 




<s 




-a 




'6 




•6 


• 


■6 






.2 o 


o 


. 


•d 


So 




s: ^ 


s; 




u 








I- 












:2^ 
















o 
a> 
to 


S 


■a 


1 


•a 

be 

o 

a 


1 


•a 
a 


o 

o 


1 

a 


1^ 






3 
1 


® 
o 
o 


•a 

1 
a 






a; -H 


3 

1 








































z 


w 


A 


w 


Z 


w 


< 


a 


f^'" 


1-4 


M- 


A 


<; 


w 


S'" 


W" 


B- 


>5 


Ds. 














Datj.t. 












Dav'''. 












■,i 


17 





7 


u 


( 





3 


1 


2 


3 


2 




3 


2 


1 


2 


2 





5 


7 





7 





7 


n 


4 


1 


1 


3 


2 




5 


1 


2 


2 


2 





7 


3 





3 





3 





() 


1 


1 


3 


2 




S 


1 


1 


2 


2 


1 


10 


i 





■1 





4 





7 





1 


2 


1 




11 


1 


1 


2 


2 


1 


1?1 


3 
4 

2 







3 
4 
2 

















S 
9 
10 
12 
15 
















1 
1 
1 
1 
1 




















17 














?1 





































































""1 ■ '1 '"1 ' ■ 





' The figures in body of table indicate the number of persons expressing a preference for a particular 
sample of cheese. 

It ma}^ be noted that with the cheese froui homogenized milk 
results were not the same for samples 1, 2, and 3. In sample 1 
there was a peculiarly bitter, rancid flavor, which in most cases, could 
be detected also in samples 2 and 3, but was much less in evidence. 
At other times Neufchatel cheese made from homogenized milk test- 
ing about 4 per cent fat had such an extremely rancid flavor as to 
render it unfit for market purposes. It appears, therefore, that 
there is greater danger of developing this characteristic homogenized 
flavor Avith milk of low fat than with milk of high fat content. 

The process of homogenization seems to be responsible for the 
bitter flavor observed in the cheese, for this bitter flavor is readily 
observed in the fresh cheese and does not develop further in storage. 

The only justification for the use of homogenization is to reduce 
the fat loss to a minimum. The process, however, is practically un- 
necessary, because under normal conditions the fat losses may be 
reduced nearly as much in other ways and there is far less danger of 
developing a bitter flavor in the cheese. 

There is very little difference apparently in the keeping qualities 
of creauj cheese made from milk pasteurized by the flash system as 
compared with the holding system. 



26 



BULLETIN, 669, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE USE OF POWDERED PEPSIN. 



Owing to the red.uction of imports from Europe, remiet has risen 
to a very high price. Pepsin has been recommended as a substitute 
for rennet in the making of American cheese, but not for Swiss, 
Limburger, and other sweet-milk chees'e. Experiments have been 
carried out with the different forms of pepsin in the manufacturing 
of cream cheese. The cheese was handled in the usual way and then 
placed at different temperatures, as indicated in Table 12. 



Table 12. 



-Comparison of use of rennet icith powdered pepsin in nianufacture of 
eream cheese held in storage. 



Sample 1. Held at 10° C. 


Sample 2. Held at 20° C. 


Samples. Held 


Sample 4. Held 


Sample 5. Held 

at 10° C. (50° 

F.). 




(50° F.). 




(68° F. 


. 


at 10° 


C.(50°F.). 


at20° 


C.(68°F.). 




Unpas- 


Pasteur- 




Unpas- 


Pasteu- 




Unpas- 




Unpas- 




I^npas- 




teurized. 


ized. 




teurized. 


rized. 




teurized. 




teurized. 




tourizcd. 






.g 




.g 




.g 




.g 




^g 




.g 




p 






ft 




ft 






ft 




ft 






ft 






ft 






ft 










o 




























Oi 


® 




ft 




■ ft 










ft 






ft 


S 




ft 






ft 


S3 




?. 




T) 


to 

■5 




-a 




'O 






V. 


.£3 




T3 


S 




■O 






t. 








































































O 


§ 


t 




^ 


o 




t 




% 


O 


§ 


■^. 


o 


§ 


^ 


o 




^ 


M 










M 




o 




o 


W) 




o 


M 




O 




"i 


o 


< 


« 


P4 


pel 


Ok 


< 


tf 


Ph 


« 


(k 


-«^ 


« 


en 


<i 


W 


Ph 


<1 


« 


^ 


Days 










Days. 










Days. 






Days 






Days 






4 


i4 


;^ 


4 


3 


4 


3 


4 


4 


3 


3 


4 


3 


3 


3 


4 


4 


ti 




6 


-•i 


2 


3 


4 


6 


3 


2 


2 


3 


12 


3 


3 


.5 


3 


3 


/ 


2 


3 


8 


2 


1 


1 


2 


8 


2 


1 


2 


1 


14 


2 


1 


< 


2 


1 


11 


3 


4 


11 


2 


2 


2 


2 


11 


1 


3 


2 


2 


17 


2 


2 


10 


2 


2 


13 


3 


3 


14 


1 

2 

1 


2 
2 

1 


1 
3 

1 


2 
1 

1 












20 
24 
27 


1 
2 
2 


1 
2 
1 


13 


2 


1 


17 
21 


3 
1 


•/ 


18 












? 


22 













































I The figures in body of table indicate the number of persons expressing a preference for a particular 
sample of cheese. 

The results indicate that there is practically no difference in keep- 
ing qualities between cheese made from the powdered and that made 
from scale pepsin, or a difference so slight as to be negligible. 

INFLUENCE OF PIMIENTO PEPPERS. 

In order to study the influence of pimiento peppers upon the keep- 
ing ({ualities of pimiento-cream cheese, samples were made from milk 
testing 6 per cent fat and salted at the rate of 1 pound of salt to 100 
pounds of curd. Varying quantities of the peppers were added to 
the cheese, wdiich was placed in glass jars and capped, and samples 
kept at 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20° C. (41°, 50°, 59°, and 68° F.), respec- 
tively. Other samples were made at the same time without the pep- 
pers and placed at similar temperatures for comparison. The sam- 
ples of cream and pimiento cheese were made from the same lot of 
milk where their keeping qualities are compared at a given tempera- 
ture. Table 13 gives the result of the trials. 



MANUFACTURE OF NEUFCHATEL AND CREAM CHEESE. 



27 



Table 13. — Influetice of p'Dniento peppers on the keeping qualities of cream 

cheese in storage. 



Sample 
No. 


Age of 
cheese. 


Held at 5° C. (41° F.). 


Held at 15° C. (59° F.). 


riinien- 
to 1/10. 


Pimien- > Pimien- 

tol/20. 1 to 1/40. 


Cream 
cheese. 


Pimien- 
to 1/10. 


Pimien- 
to 1/20. 


Pimien- 
to 1/40. 


Cream 
cheese. 


1 


Days. 

f 4 

6 

8 

13 

18 

28 

I 43 

f 10 

17 
21 
27 
35 


14 
9 
5 
5 
3 
3 
2 


2 
8 
3 
2 
2 


2 


2 
1 
1 
1 











3 

9 

3 

• 4 


3 

8 
5 
3 


2 


2 






























1 












Held at 10° C. (TO" F.). 


Held at 20° C. (68° P ). 




6 
3 
4 
3 
4 


1 









5 
2 




1 










1 


2 

































1 


1 







1 The figures in body of table indicate number of people showmg preference for particular samples. 

A high percentage of piniientos seems to improve the keeping qual- 
ity of the cheese kept at 5° C. (41° F.) and 10° C. (50° F.). When 
held at 10° C. (50° F.) the pimiento cheese kept in good condition 
for a month, at which time it was edible, although some acidity had 
developed. No undesirable flavor had developed as in the case of 
the plain cream cheese. Either the pimiento acts as a preservative 
or it tends to cover up any undesira.ble flavor. When kept at 15° 
C. (59° F.) and especially at 20° C. (68° F.) b'oth the cream and 
the pimiento cheese became excessively sour in the course of a few 
days. There was a marked difference in this sour taste in the cheese 
lield at 15° C. (59° F.) and 10° C. (50° F.). Pimiento-cheese held at 
5° C. (41° F.) was still edible after six weeks, although some of the 
surface of the cheese had to be removed. 

SUMMARY. 

The process of manufacture for Neufchatel and cream cheese is 
the same, except as noted. For Neufchatel use whole milk that tests 
about 4 per cent ; for cream cheese use milk standardized to from (> to 
8 per cent butterfat. Obtain clean, fresh milk. 

Pasteurize the milk by heating to 145° F. for 30 minutes and then 
quickly cool to 80° F. for Neufchatel and. 83° F. for cream cheese. 

Add 1 per cent of a freshly made and vigorous lactic-acid starter. 

Add either commercial liquid rennet at the rate of one-third of an 
ounce or five-sixths of a gram of powdered pepsin to each 1,000 
pounds of milk for Neufchatel cheese. For cream cheese use half an 
ounce of liquid rennet or 1 gram of poAvdered pepsin for each 1,000 
pounds of milk. Either curdling agent should be diluted in half a 
pail of cold water before being mixed with the milk. 



28 BULLETIN 669^ U, S, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Stir the mixture of milk, starter, und curdling agent and then run 
it into shotgun cans, 30 pounds in each can, and set away to curdle. 

In from 16 to 18 hours pour the contents of each can on cotton 
sheeting and allow to drain undisturbed for from 2| to 3 hours. 
Then work the curd to the center of the cloth, loosen the ends, and 
make each unit into a bag by folding over the cloth. Place the bags 
of curd between alternate layers of cracked ice for a few hours or 
overnight. 

Press the curd until each unit (bag) weighs 4^ pounds for Xeuf- 
chatel, or 5^ to 6 pounds for cream cheese. This means a yield for 
Neufchatel of 15 pounds and for cream cheese of 18 to 20 pounds per 
100 pounds of milk, which seems most desirable. 

Remove the cakes of cui'd fi'om the drain cloths and salt at the rate 
of 1 pound to 100 pounds of curd. Run the curd through a grind- 
ing machine, or use a mixing machine and incorporate the salt uni- 
formly. 

Pass the curd through a molding machine Avhich shapes the cheese 
into the desired commercial package. Wrap in tin or aluminum foil 
and place in special flat boxes. 

The homogenization of milk for making cream cheese is not recom- 
mended. 

The addition of pimiento peppers at the rate of l.part of peppers 
to 10 or 20 parts of cream cheese greatly prolongs the keeping quality 
of the cheese. 

Keep the cheese ht a temperature of between 40° and 50° F. until 
consumed. 



ADDITIONAL COPIES 

OF THIS PUBLICATTON MAY BE PROCURED FROM 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS 

GOVERNMENT 7RINTING OFFICE 

WASIUNGTON, D. C. 

AT 

5 CENTS PER COP'S 
A 



PAT. MH. 21, 11 



1 i 






mm^^ ^^ CONGRESS 




